Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-07-11
0N BOARD.


marSahle IL all fact II was related To
me 10y Mr.. Forester himself while | was
ON board the ship with him. and WAS
vouched for in all particulars hy Capt.
Roberts All names given are the true
names Of those interested. and have not
attempted Ia embellSh the narrative but
give il in Mr.. Furester'S own words:
''As You are aware. | have been chief
engineer of the steamship Kingdom for
several Years, and | really think that
1 good luck will follow me as long as | re
I main by her Well we left the port of
DUukirk. on the coast Of France on the
afternoon Of Aug. n. 1886. bound for
/ Liverpool. England, the home of nv wife
ami children. You can imagine nv anN-
. icty 10 reach those - dear To me much
! better than | can describe it No one but
| those who follow the sea can realize fully
the feelings of him who Is hOmeward
bound after long absence We
had been on our way about thirty
six hours IL was my watch in
the engine room. | stood beside the great
engines and watched their pulsation, and
knew that every stroke made the great
screw revOlve and sent Us nearer nearer
tu our loved ones. All was going well in
the engine room. and concluded would
take a breath OF fresh air. Mounting the
ladder, climbed 10 the engine room door
on the main deck. II was . O'Clock at
night. The stars shone ont bright and
heantiful-a magnificent summer night at
sea. The captain and his wife who had
joined him al Dunkirkl We're on the ships
bridge, the captain keeping a sharp look
out for Dungeness light. on the English
coast The ships log registered 10 IL
knots per hour, and that light should
have been in sight. Capt Roberts. see
ing me, remarked that the ship was not
doing As well as he expected, as the light
should now be III sight. ! WAS satisfied
that the light would soon show up, and
made myself comfortable on the port rail
amidships to lunch on the coffee and
crackers that the steward served me with
at this hour I drank the coffee and sat
the emp On the rail- and at that moment
saw a fiash almost dead ahead
ITO make sure that it Was Dungeness
light, l stood upon the rail, and placing
my hand over my head and taking hold
OF the steering rod, leaned over the side
as far as could. As did so. the move
ment Of the rod brought my hand in con.
tact with the bleck in the shieve. Fear
ing my hand would get caught, l reached
up the other, intending TO change hands
l let go too soon, and missed my hold, and
the next moment found myself plunging
lcadfuremost into the English channel
fifteen mules from land.
INSTANTLY knew 1 must plunge deep
down under the water, and swim from
the ship 10 save myself from being drawn
into the wheeiby the suction I came to
the surface Just astern Of the ship and /
facing her,- The spray from the propeller
was driven against my face with such (
force it seemed a. if it cut the tesh. ! /
turned my back for moment, and then
the problem Of life and eternity was before I
me threw myself On my back aud |
fiuaIed
Il saw the great cloud Of black smoke |
roll out from the ships funnel and fall |
over the water | knew no one had seen |
me fall over the ships side. | realized at /
once that all those so near, either one of |
whom would have Tescued me even at the |
peril Of his own life, were unconsciouslv !
leaving Lae. was not missed on the ship |
till midnight, two hours after had fallen |
overheard. The ship was searched-en-
gine, boiler and fire rooms-in the ex-
pectation Of finding me disabled. AT last |
my cup and plate were found on the
ships rail. To those on board the
problem was soived-it was unanimously
voted that had dropped asleep and fallen
overheard while sitting on the rail. All
thought it too Late 10 put the ship about
and look for me, and she was kept Oh her
course 10 Liverpool
i was clad in quite heavy wool
jacket, canvas pants, and heavy English
walking shoes, that laced high around
myself Of the great weight of clothing.
attempted TO get out of my jacket; after
making the most superhuman efforts had |
TO give it up. / could not eXtricate nv
arms from the sleeves without drowning
myself. Again tried to get rid of it BY
throwing myself on my back and floating,
at the same time trying TO pick the seam
open that held the sleeve had to give
this up. / then tried TO get my shoe off,
but could not do SO. Every effort made
1 would sink, and then all my strength
had to be used in keeping my head above
water. To add TO my misery a most eX-
cruciating pain seized me in the back Of |
my heal at the base of my brain. This /
was terrible. | had now been in the water
little over an hour, and was in full pos
session OF every faculty. My whole life |
passed before me like panorama Scenes
Of my childhood that had faded from
memory were again as fresh as in the days |
of youth. Calmly and quietly resigned
myself 10 my fate. Not even a ray Of /
hope entered my mind.
4 had Just finished what / supposed
was my last I,rayer 10 the great Jehovah,
in whose presence l soon expected to be-
and asked Of HIM a special blessing on my
wife and children, when to my great sur
prise, as if il were from out the great
deep, saw red light some distance from
ana coming toward me. As it drew quite
near l raised myself up in the water and
cried out for assistance. Ny second or
thir:l hail was answered and the ship
put about ] heard the watch On deck |
calling up the watch below. had now
been in the water fully an hour and |
q half. The pupils Of my eyes had |
become So much dilated that everything |
was greatly magnifed. The ship looked |
to me as large as a mountain. 1t seemed !
as if they would never get the small boat |
into the water. L was nearly exhausted, |
and could not have lasted many minutes |
more. As saw the boat coming really |
supposed it ship, 1t looked so large. The
next moment it shot up to me and found
myself seized by strong and willing arms
and pulled into the boat Ny rescuer
proved 10 be a noble DANISH sailor, the
master of a little coasting schooner. Every
attentionw was shown me. My rags were
exchanged for the captains best. Icould
rstaiu neither food nor spirits for some
time ON account Of ha wing swallowed 50
much sea water My beneiactor could not
speak English. nor ] Danish, and II was
hard TO rnake him understand how came
10 lie in the middle of the English channel
swimming for my life. was IN a sad
Might. Ny clothes were in tatters; the
knees Of my pantaloons were split open,
and my engine room suit not very genteei
at the best. found the schooner bound
for Little Hampton, England, only Il short
sail from where was picked up. was
delighted at this, knowing l could reach
home 10y rail before the ship Kingdom
reached liverpool, and thus save my wife
the terrible shock of hearing me reported
lost.